Saturday, March 2, 2013

VBT; Review, Giveaway and Guestblog by Rebecca Trogner author of The Last Keeper’s Daughter

Rebecca Trogner is guest blogging for me today!!!!

In my debut novel, The Last Keeper’s Daughter, there are vampires with key roles. While I don’t believe that this defines my book as only about the vamps it does put it into the category of mostly for women. I’ve never understood why men don’t enjoy a good vampire story as much as women, but it seems that while we swoon the menfolk just roll their eyes at us. So I got to thinking about why I love vampires as much as I do.The Big O. It has to be said that there is usually really good sex involved whenever a vampire is in a story. There are some books that don’t follow that pattern, but I prefer a sexy vampire over a gnawing, raging one any day. What woman wouldn’t like the thought of a man who can satisfy all their desires, endlessly?The Foreplay. There is something erotic about all that nibbling around our necks, wrists, and thighs – let your imagination fly ladies – that is highly attractive. A vampire has all the time in the world, literally, to explore and adore our bodies. What woman wouldn’t like that? The Beefcake: Vampires are almost always sexy and never, ever get a beer gut, unless they were turned that way. There was that unfortunate Eddie on True Blood…… Seriously, in general, they are lovely creatures who lure us in with their bodies. The Alpha Male: They are predators who lust and desire and need us. They are powerful and fast and deadly; the ultimate bad boy without the jail visit. These quality make a woman feel powerful as only we are able to soothe or incite great passion from them. To know how fragile we are in comparison and not to be afraid, because the vampire is our protector and we are destined to be together. The Free Time: Most writers adhere to the nocturnal vampire; it gives women time to yearn for their vampire. They have the daylight hours to shop, work, see their girlfriends, sleep, take vitamins, etc. There is never the question, “what’s for dinner?” No hours wasted slaving away at the stove when you’ve got a vampire at home. The Intelligence: They have life experience. I love the idea of all the history a vampire would have seen firsthand. There would be endless hours of conversation and never would you hear the same story twice, or have to laugh at some stupid joke. The Moodiness: Living forever can cause a certain amount of moodiness in some vampires. I see this as a plus though, because they understand when we are moody.So there you have it, the top reasons I adore reading a story or watching a show with a good vampire character. I hope you get the chance to read my book, The Last Keeper’s Daughter. I’ve meshed all the genres I love so much into it. There is romance, mystery, the paranormal, and a tiny dash of horror all wrapped up inside the pages.

About the Author:

Rebecca Trogner lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and frequently crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains that were the inspiration for Krieger’s home. She always dreamed of being a writer, but got sidetracked by the day-to-day adventures of life. With the encouragement of her family, she has finished her first novel and is currently writing the next book in The Last Keeper’s Daughter series. Rebecca lives with her husband and son, and a rescue dog named Giblet. To find out more about the author visit her:Website / Blog / Goodreads / Twitter

Book Description:

Born into old money, Lily Ayres lives at Waverly, her family’s estate situated at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Paris, Virginia. She is a strange, small, almost mute, young woman who has no idea that her father has given her to the Vampire King Krieger. Walter Ayres is the King’s Keeper and part of a secret society of historians who unearth, preserve, and attempt to understand relics of long forgotten civilizations.Lily has never felt comfortable in the human world, but after she suspiciously falls down a flight of stone steps, and is healed and claimed by Krieger, she realizes there is another world. In this Other Realm she feels a sense of belonging, and begins to untwine the mysterious event which left her mentally and psychologically damaged. When Walter disappears in England, Lily works with human and supernatural beings to uncover his whereabouts. With each new discovery, she is pulled deeper into the vortex of magic, intrigue, and dark desires that permeates the supernatural world. The revelations revealed unfold a story of deception and betrayal that threaten to tear the thin veil between the supernatural and human world asunder.

Krieger sat in the oversized chair, letting his arms hang down almost to the floor, and inhaled deeply of her scent, now richer, more complex than it had been before. He’d never encountered anyone who smelled so enticing. Her blood beguiled him, like a flower lures the bee to its sweet nectar. He wished to sink his fangs into her soft skin, to feel the first spurt of blood hit his tongue. He groaned with anticipation. To a vampire, blood and sex were intertwined. When he’d healed her with his blood it had taken a great deal of restraint not to seek his own physical fulfillment. He was ill prepared to deal with an innocent. His fingers wrapped around the legs of the chair, and the sound of wood snapping under pressure made him release his grip. Her eyelids fluttered. It took a few attempts before she turned her head and stared at him. He remained motionless. “You had a bad fall at the party, remember?” He raised his hands, palms facing towards her. “You’re safe, at my home.”Her face, already flushed, became a deep shade of red. He could hear her heart beating hard and strong. He fought the urge to taste her. “You came for me.” Lily spoke softly. “I was afraid you wouldn’t.”He remembered what the doctor had said, and knew the volume was not important, but that she was speaking meant a great deal. “How do you feel?”She took stock of her body. She raised the once injured shoulder, and then looked down, amazed. “I healed you.” She slid up, clutching the sheet to her neck, and rested her back against the headboard. The rose tones of the coverlet highlighted the perfection of her skin. He pondered going to sit on the bed next to her, but decided she needed to feel comfortable and safe in his presence, not hunted into a corner. She spoke out the word, “How,” on a long breath. He liked how she didn’t ask ridiculous questions. She cut straight to the point. “With my blood.” Lily glanced into his eyes, maybe gauging the truth of his words. She nodded and looked down at her hands. He had anticipated some sort of feminine theatrics, but she showed no emotion that he could decipher. “I don’t remember that.”“When did you remember me?” “On the mountain,” she said, staccato quick. He kept his face impassive.“I’m not–” She ran her hand over her shoulder again. “Am I?” “Vampire,” he finished her question. “No.”The sigh of relief made her thoughts clear. He wondered if she would be more receptive to the idea after the years had ravaged her beautiful face. “Did Walter leave this for you?” He laid the small watercolor painting on the bed.She nodded.Standing up, careful to move at human speed, he motioned towards the hallway leading to the bathroom and dressing area. “Everything you need will be provided. For now, you should rest.”Lily shook her head. “I feel fine.” She started to get up, looked down, and tightened her hold on the coverlet. “Clothes are in the dressing area. Do you need assistance?”Her expression said she did not. “Can you walk?” Krieger asked.She nodded.He went to the French doors and turned his back to her. “Go on. Call out if you feel weak.” Modesty was something foreign to Others. They did not feel shamed or embarrassed by nudity. He hadn’t thought about this and wished the doctor had clothed her. He heard the lock mechanism on the connecting door click into place. If it made her feel safe then what harm could it do? Krieger heard her walk back into the room. He stayed where he was, waiting to see what she would do. When she came to stand next to him, he was pleased. “Stoke Castle sits atop the Blue Ridge mountains. Waverly is within view below us.” Lily stepped closer to the French doors, her hand reaching for the door knob. “Dawn is upon us. It would be best if you refrained from going outside until I exit the room, or until the sun has set.” Lily went completely still again, much like a rabbit will hide in tall grass. “How long have I been asleep?” she asked.“You’ve been unconscious for a day.” He let her take a moment to process the information. “Look at me.” She turned, which pleased him, but did not raise her eyes to his. Placing his forefinger under her chin, he lifted her face upwards. “Look at me,” he said with a kind firmness. “I have lost the ability to trance you now that you carry my blood.”“Trance?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. He ran his fingers lightly over her cheek bones and rested his hand against her face. “Your father told me that you hate to be touched, and yet you do not flinch away from me. It is good.” He bent down to place his lips next to her ear. “You have no need to fear me.” My Thoughts:

Thank you for guest blogging for me today Rebecca. It is one of my favorite guest posts to date. ;-)

This book was more mystery than romance. It had my attention pretty much from the beginning till the end.

Lily was an intriguing character and I really liked how her and Krieger interacted. The characters were my favorite part of this story. I loved them. I thought the idea of Vantors (vamp/ were hybrids) was awesome.

It begins with Walter, Lily's father asking Krieger (the Vampire King) to watch over his daughter for him. Krieger agrees but plans to have someone else actually do the watching. That is until he sees her. ;-)

There are many twists and turns. This book is very intriguing and it had me hanging on every word, page after page. I can't wait to read book two.

I really liked this book and recommend it to every one who likes vampire books, mystery, or just a great read in general.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my opinion. I was caught up in the story from start to finish. I thought it was a terrific addition to the selection of vampire books available. I really enjoyed it. :D

Which one of Rebecca's reasons is your favorite for watching or reading vampires?

I think she pretty much hit it on the head :) I especially enjoyed the "moodiness... because they understand when we are moody." That made me laugh, but is so true. I know my moods can cause some friction with the hubby because he doesn't understand that sometimes I just feel a certain way -- but he tries ;)

Thanks for the guest blog. It was great, made me laugh a few times. The book does sound interesting.

I was actually more intrigued by Brenda's observation that men don't like stories about vampires as much as women do. Is it because they are mostly Paranormal Romances written for women? I think men might be interested in novels with sexy female vampires! ;-)

As you know from other conversations, Brenda, I'm not a big fan of vampires in Romance. But I do like darker vampire stories like Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice.

For me it would be intelligence and foreplay^^ patience too human man can be so impatient and aggressive. alpha male... not so much it depends if it's in the sense of really loyal and protective oki but not oppressive... like bones who let his love free to do her istakes but is always there to help if she ask... that's so great ( no freedom, i would rebel^^)

^^;; i'm really traditional ( a chineese friend told me i was a typical old chinesse soul^^;; even if i don't have a drop of chineese blood by the way)

i had to grom up fast so i'm calm and tempered but stil^^... since little when my mother asked my brother and me to do something she got always teh same result: my brother would said yes and never do what he should... i would said no but in teh end i did it anyway because i knew it needed to be done^^;;so it was already a little rebelling^^;; and i still don't like orders^^;;

The Alpha Male combined with intelligence and foreplay! You just can't go wrong with that combo no matter if it's a vampire book or any other kind!This book sounds good, I will have to add it to my TBR list!

About Me

I am a middle aged wife and mother of three boys. Because life is often hectic, I self medicate with good books! It is a cheap form of therapy. I have found that it does wonders for my sanity! lol!
My favorite types of books to read are paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy,and young adult.

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Inquiring about reviews?

If you are an author, publisher, or publicist that would like me to review a book, email me: brendem7@comcast.net.

Mostly I read paranormal and contemporary romances, young adult, and urban fantasy. I do not like historicals or horror!

I try to post reviews in a timely manner and in addition to posting them on my blog, I will post them on Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo, and B&N. Posts are also on my Twitter and Facebook as well. I look forward to working with you.